Mail-bag



(No Model.) 2 Sheets S heet 1.

0.1. BEOKTEL & F. M.-HORNER.

Mail Bags.

No. 231,981. Patented Sept. 7,1880.

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'Mail Bags.

No. 231,981. Pateht ed Sept. 7,1880.

N.PHERS, PHMOMTMDGRAPHER WASHlNGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES I PATENT EETcE.

CHARLES J. BECKTEL AND FRANK M. HORNER, OF MUNOIE, INDIANA.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,981, dated September '7, 1880.

Application filed June 21, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES J. BECK TEL and FRANK M. HORNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Muncie, in the county ofDelaware and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in M ail-Bags; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Ourin vention relates to mail bags or pouches; and it consists, essentially, in a bag or pouch of suitable size for the purpose, and made of leather, canvas, or any suitable material, and provided with an opening in the middle of the upper or open end, so as to leave two projecting parts or folds, one on each side of the opening or cutaway portion of the bag, the folds being provided with eyelets of peculiar construction.

The details of construction will be more fully described in the accompanying specification, and pointed out in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the open end of the mail-bag; Fig. 2, a rear elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the open end of the bag. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of modification of same. Fig.5 shows the bag partially folded. Fig. 6 shows the mouth of the bag completely closed. Figs. 7 and 8 show the eyelets, and Fig. 9 a perspective view of a catclrpouch embodying our improvements.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

'Heretofore mail-bags have usually been made with flaps for covering the open end of the bag, and secured by heavy iron bands or hasps, or, in some instances, by straps passing through a series of eyelets in the top of the bag, and the ends of said straps then looked. Again, in some cases the open ends have had bars of iron inserted therein, so as to form a frame and close like a valise. In all such cases there is an extra weight added to the bag, and a loss of valuable time in opening and closing the same, especially on railway postal-cars.

(No model.)

In order to remove the above-noted objections we have made a mail-bag which dispenses with flaps, fastening-straps, &c., which can be speedily and easily opened and closed, is absolutely free from danger of being opened, and one in which the weight is reduced to a minimum.

Referring to the drawings, A is the bag, having the central part, a, Figs. 1 and 2, cut away, so as to leave side projections, B D, which may be recnforced with leather or other material. Said projections or folds B D are provided with eyelet-holes and eyelets O, opposite to each other, on the front and rear of the bag, and at a suitable distance from the top or open end of the bag. The bag is preferably made with two front and rear eyelets on each side of said central opening, a.

A staple, H, is placed below the center of the opening, and is adapted to pass through the eyelets O. In order to close the bag it is only necessary to fold the sides so that the outside eyelets will be turned down over each other and over the staple, as shown in Fig. 5, the bag being creased, as shown in the diagonal dotted lines. This brings the central eyelets over each other, as shown in Fig. 5. These eyelets are then passed over the staple by pressing down the upper central part of the bag, as shown in Fig. 6. It will thus be seen that when the sides are folded the double eyelet-holes (front and rear) are on a direct line with each other and with the side eyelets and staple, and when the central projections are folded their eyelets are on a direct line with each other and with the side eyelets and staple. In this way the front opening of the bag is completely closed by the folded sides, while the back or central projections, when closed down over the staple, completely cover and shield both front and back of the bag, and there is no way of entering the bag (when locked) except by cutting it or breaking the lock.

Attached to the back part of the bag is a tagholder, M, situated immediately below the back eyelet of the side folds, so that when the bag is closed the tag-holder is brought directly to the front.

The eyelets G are made in two pieces, 0 0-, each having a tongue, 0 c. The tongue 0 of the interior plate, 0 is turned out and rivet-ed IOC to the outside plate, 0, while the tongue 0 of the outside plate is turned in and riveted to the inside plate. In fact the rivets pass entirely through the two plates and tongues. This form of construction prevents tearing out of either plate, and prevents the cloth or leather of the bag from cominginto and filling up the eyelet-opening, as is sometimes the ease with the open eyelets. Moreover, by constructing the eyelets with the tongues, as described, there is a smooth surface presented for the passage of the staple, and avoids striking edges of the plates, as in the ordinary form of eyelets. V

A strap, J, with a ring, K, (see Fig. 9,) may be secured to each end of the bag, so that it can be held in the frame adapted for fast mailmetal is reduced to a minimum, and the weight of extra straps and flaps dispensed with, thus making a great saving in cost of transportation.

WVhen the bag is thrown into a postal-car or postoffiee and opened the rear ears may be secured to holding-hooks and the side ears turned down to hold the bag open, or grummets may be worked or inserted at suitable intervals along the front and back of the pouch for the purpose of inserting holding-hooks.

When the bag is closed in the way described it is rendered water-tight.

We may make traveling-bags in the same manner by simply providing a suitable handle or carrying-strap therefor.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is i 1. A mail-bag having a central opening, a, and two side portions adapted to fold and overlap each other and to be secured by a staple passing through such folded sides, substantially as described.

2. A mail-bag provided with two side folds and a rear fold, and having a tag-holder located between the side folds, so that when the folds are lapped the one on the other the tagholder is presented on the front of the bag.

3. In a mail-bag provided with the central opening, the combination of the side folds, B, rear fold, D, staple H, and eyelets F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. BEOKTEL. FRANK M. HORNER. Witnesses:

SAM. H. SrooNER, H. J. LOCKHART. 

